Multiple lug terminals



MULTIPLE LUG TERMINALS Filed July 22, 1968 INVENTOR His/4 0 KA T0 United States Patent 01 hoe 3,541,497 Patented Nov. 17, 1970 3,541,497 MULTIPLE LUG TERMINALS Hisao Kato, 42, Z-chome, Shinmei-cho, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa-ken, Japan Filed July 22, 1968, Ser. No. 746,472 Int. Cl. H01r 11/32 US. Cl. 339242 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Multiple lug terminals characterized by forming a rectangular base portion integrally with a terminal portion projecting at least two or more than two terminal lugs having a hole therethrough from said base portion at a proper distance from each other by means of punching sheets of metal, the joint portion of said base portion with the terminal portion being slenderer than the free end of each terminal lug, and the width between the root portions of the terminal lugs on both sides being made narrower to some extent than the width of the root portion.

The present invention relates to multiple lug terminals having many connecting lugs, the lug structure comprising a rectangular conductive sheet one side of which forms a base portion, the adjacent edges defining identical lugs formed by a gap, at the opposite side, which extends to the base portion. Notches are formed on the outside edges at the juncture of the lugs and base portion, for ease of bending of the lugs; an opening is provided in each lug and also in the base portion; and in one embodiment the end of the gap at the base portion forms a third, relatively short lug.

The principal object of the present invention is to connect a number of electrical machines and apparatuses by only one connecting terminal in order to make it possible to install numerous electrical machines and equipment in a limited area.

It is also an important object that it is very easily manufactured and suitable for mass production, production costs are extremely reduced, and it can be used widely as well as easily.

All the appended, drawings illustrate embodiments of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a plan of 3 lugs made according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan of a two-lug terminal according to the same, FIG. 3 is a plan illustrating a manner in which said terminals are mounted on both sides of a terminal board, FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 are cross-sectional views in detail showing the means for mounting the terminal according to this invention on a terminal board, and FIG. 7 is a side view showing the manner in which the connecting terminal of the present invention is used.

Conventional connecting terminals of this type hithertofore generally used are all single-lug terminals, and so they, as a single terminal, can connect only one electrical machinery or apparatus; and many terminals are needed for connecting many electrical machineries and apparatuses, necessarily requiring large areas for installing electrical machineries and apparatuses; this should be called quite inappropriate considering that the reduction in size and weight of all machineries and apparatuses are called for in these days.

The present invention, considering this fact of situation, attempts to respond to the aforesaid demand of the time, by developing multiple lug terminal though unrealizable heretofore.

The content of embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to the appended drawings as follows: FIG. 1 shows a terminal having 3 lugs which is formed by a rectangular base portion 2 having a through hole 3 obtained by punching a metal sheet integrally with a base portion 1 having 3 terminal lugs 4, 5, and 9 projected from said base portion at proper distances 6 and 10 from each other and having through holes 7, 8, and 11. That is, the two terminal lugs 4 and 5 are projected from both ends of the base portion 2, and the other terminal lug 9 is shorter and surrounded by two terminal lugs between said two terminal lugs. These three lugs are separated from each other by the gaps G and 10.

Further, the joint portion between the terminal portion 1 and the base portion 2, Le, each root portion of terminal lugs 4, 5, and 9 is cut in obliquely respectively as shown by the reference numerals 12 and 12', and more slender than the free end of the upper portion and the width between the root portions of terminal lugs on both sides is narrower to some extent than that of the base portion.

Futhermore, as the width in the upper portion between the terminal lugs 4 and 5 on the two sides is equal to that of the base portion 2, the terminal is nearly rectangular as a whole. Consequently, the three-lug terminal can be made in a great number at the same time from a large metallic sheet, and not only can it be made one by one from a small rectangular sheet but also only a small amount of material is wasted on forming.

The three-lug terminal thus formed is by far slenderer at the root portion of each terminal lug 4, 5, or 9 as compared with the free end of its upper portion, and so it is readily possible to bend it when it is used by bendin at that portion.

Also, into holes 7, 8, or 11 provided in each lug is a lead wire inserted.

FIG. 2 shows a terminal having two lugs; in this case, two terminal lugs 4 and 5' are projected from a rectangular base portion 2 at a distance 6' from each other, and through holes 7, 8', and 3' are bored in the terminal lugs and the base portion 2', respectively; and this two-lug terminal is cut in at the joint portion of the base portion 2' with the terminal portion 1 as is the case with the aforementioned three-lug terminal; that is to say, the root portions 4' and 5 are cut in obliquely so that they are slenderer than the free end in the upper portion and the width between the roots of terminal lugs on both sides is narrower to some extent than the width of the root portion. Furthermore it is nearly rectangular as a whole as is the case with the preceding embodiment; and the aforesaid each portion is formed at the same time and integrally from one large sheet of metal or a small rectangular sheet of metal. It goes without saying that the reason for slenderer root portion of each terminal lug and the use of through holes 7' and 8' are quite the same as in the case of said three-lug terminal.

The above description concerns with the threeand two-lug terminals; however, it is possible in the present invention to manufacture multiple lug terminals having numerous lugs as many as four, five, or six as required projected with respect to one base by punching at once in a press-forming process of metal sheets for all of said multiple lug terminal.

The following means is conceivable in order to mount thus formed multiple lub terminals on a terminal board 14 of synthetic resinous insulator.

As shown in FIG. 4, both ends of the base portion 2 are bent in the vertical direction at the root portion 12' of each terminal portion and the ends 12" are buried into the terminal strip to make the surface of the base portion flat with the terminal board 14, and then said bent portions are held by the terminal board and one portion of the terminal board intrudes into the through hole 3, thus the terminal body being connected firmly with the termL nal board.

In another means conceivable, as shown in FIG. the

base portion 2 is lapped Over the terminal board 14' and a rivet 15 is inserted into the through hole 3 and the terminal board 14,to be calked on the back face 16 of the terminal board 14'.

Further in another means conceivable, as shown in FIG. 6, the base portion 2 is formed by inserting into the material during press-forming of the terminal board 14", in which case the base portion is connected integrally with the inside of the terminal board and intrudes into the through hole 3 of the terminal board 14".

FIG. 3 shows themanner in which the terminal body is mounted on the terminal board by the aforementioned means. Further, in order to use the terminals of this in vention constructed in the aforesaid manner in connecting many electrical machineri'e's and apparatuses, the terminal lugs 5 and 5 opposing to each other as shown in FIG. 7 are bent to connect the machinery or apparatus B as well as the terminallugs '4 and 4 are bent in reverse direction to said terminal lugs 5 and 5 to connect with the other machinery or apparatus C, and the one terminal lug 9 and the other terminal lug- 9 are connected respectively to the lead wire D on the input side and to the lead wire E on the output side,,then it is possible to install at least two to several machines and apparatuses between the opposing terminals, their" utility value being as great as several times compared with the case where conventional single terminals are used. a

The example of using the terminal according to this invention shown in FIG. 7 is only one of examples; the terminals according to this invention may be used properly modifying them by the ingenuity of those who use them or depending ,on the. location, purpose, etc. in uses. The connecting terminals according to this invention, are formed as a whole very easily by punching sheets of metal in the press-forming process, being characterized by extremely reducing the production costs, by for simplifying the use of them, andwide scope of application.

I claim:

1. A multiple lug terminal comprising asubstantially rectangular body of electrically conductive sheet material having at least before the terminal is used, all of its parts located in. a common plane vwithin the confines of a rectangle with said ,body having in the region of one end a transversely extending base portion having an end edge and a pair of side edges respectively extending along an end and a pair of sides of the rectangle and said body having at least a pair of elongated lugs projecting from said base portion and terminating distant from each other in a pair of outer side edges extending along the same side edges of said. rectangle as the side edges of said base portion, said lugs respectively terminating in free end portions distant from said base. portion and ex-' tending up to an edge of the rectangle opposite that along which the end edge of said base portion extends, said lugs being of identical configuration and said body being formed with an elongated gap of a given width separating said lugs from each other at inner side edgesof said lugs which are respectively opposied to the outer side edges less than the remair 1der of the width of said lugs, said nal region of said gap, so that said lugs may be more easily bent with respect to said base portion at the region of the base portion.

2., The combination of claim 1 and wherein said base portion is formed with an opening passing therethrough and said lugs also being-formed with openings passing therethrough in the region of said free ends thereof.

3. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said notches which are respectively formed at the outer side edge regions of said body are eachof a substantially V- shaped configuration having one edge extending parallel to the end edge of said base portion and defining part of said base portion and having an inclined edge extending from said one edge and providing each lug with a tapered width which gradually increases from said base portion toward said free end portion of each lug. i

4. The combination of claim 1 and wherein said inner terminal portion of said gap is, of a substantially U,-

shaped configuration and extends around and defines the outer peripheral edge of a third lug situated between and being shorter than ,the other two lugs and also extending from said base portion. p 5. The combination of claim 4 and wherein said U- shaped portion of said gap terminates in ends inclined inwardly toward each other to provide said third lug at the region of said base portion with a width less than the width of the remainder of said third lug for facilitating bending of said third lug at said base portion.

6. The combination of claim 4 and wherein said third lug as well as the free end regions of the other two lugs and said base portion are all respectively formed with openings, passing therethrough.

7. The combination of claim 1 andwherein each of said lugs has a length which is at least.twice as great as the length of said base portion along either of the side edges thereof. p

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES Catalog page 11 of Kellogg Mfg. Co., Copyright 1904.

liICHARD E. MOORE, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 339l98,, 277 

